Safety improvements to intersection discussed

December 14, 2012

Members of Marietta City Council's streets and transportation committee on Thursday continued to express concerns for proposed traffic and pedestrian safety improvements to the intersection of Pike, Greene and Seventh streets.

"I'm most concerned that this will result in four unsignalized turns that will increase the chance for accidents in the area," said Councilman Harley Noland, D-at large.

He said the project would remove current traffic signals at the intersection of north Seventh and Greene streets, and the plans do not include a traffic signal at the intersections of Pike Street and Hardwood Drive, or at the intersection of Greene Street and Hardwood Drive.

"We're trying to decrease accidents, but this scenario has unsignalized turns, so I think we're creating something with the potential for more severe traffic accidents," Noland said.

Councilman Tom Vukovic, D-4th Ward, agreed, noting that drivers at the intersection of Pike Street and Hardwood Drive who want to turn north on Ohio 7 (Pike Street) could have to cross four lanes of traffic to do so.

"And anyone trying to make that left turn will have to wait a long time to get out into traffic," he said.

Fact Box

To comment:

- A questionnaire and comment sheet on the proposed Pike, Greene and Seventh streets intersection improvements can be downloaded from the http://www.pikegreene7th.com/ website.

- Forms are also available through the Marietta City Engineer's Office at 304 Putnam St.

- The deadline for comments on the project is Dec. 31.

- For more information visit the engineering department link at http://www.mariettaoh.net/ or call 373-5495.

Thursday's discussion followed a special meeting of the committee held Wednesday evening at Washington State Community College to bring the public up to date and gain citizens' input on the proposed $3.2 million project.

The proposed preliminary design alternative, supported by the engineering department, would include dual left turn lanes for northbound traffic from Ohio 7 onto north Seventh Street as well as dual left turn lanes from north Seventh Street onto Ohio 7 north.

The current left turn from north Seventh Street onto Greene Street at the Speedway store would be eliminated in favor of a right-turn only onto Greene from Seventh and a right-turn only onto Seventh Street from Greene.

A signal-protected left turn lane would also be provided for southbound traffic on Ohio 7 to turn onto south Seventh Street. A pedestrian island would also be installed at that location.

Other improvements include the installation of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant signalized pedestrian crosswalks and curb ramps across Ohio 7 as well as across Greene and north Seventh streets.

In addition, the alley that now exists along Hardwood Center Drive and old Pike Street, just east of the intersection, would be improved to a two-lane corridor between Greene and Ohio 7 to provide access to businesses located in that area.

Eric Lambert, city project engineer, told the committee members Thursday that the engineering department would continue to accept comment forms filled out by people who attended Wednesday's meeting, as well as any other public comments submitted on the project by the Dec. 31 deadline.

Lambert also said he would try to get some answers for the concerns expressed by Vukovic and Noland during Thursday's committee meeting.

Committee chairman Denver Abicht, D-at large, said council would also like to review the public comments once they're submitted and compiled by the engineering department.

"The comments will be forwarded to (the Ohio Department of Transportation), and we'll see what solutions they come up with before we make a final decision on whether to move forward with this project," he said.